Tips to Stop Your Hunger

When you're cutting calories to lose weight, hunger can be your biggest enemy. Ravenous hunger can send you straight to the refrigerator for high-calorie foods, leading to diet derailment. Fortunately, several things can be done to stop hunger. If you want to avoid eating, the best thing to do to stop hunger is to drink lots of water, according to Patricia Bannon, a registered dietitian in Los Angeles, among other strategies.
Drink Water
Water stops hunger by filling your stomach with a zero-calorie liquid. That will send signals to the brain that you're no longer hungry, Bannon says. Plus, dehydration can feel a lot like hunger. Bannon indicates you might actually be dehydrated rather than hungry. Drink a big glass of water to determine if you're really hungry. Make the water cold, rather than warm. Cold water will cause your metabolism to speed up to bring the water to body temperature, burning calories. For more dieting help, guzzle water before your meals. In a 2010 clinical trial reported by website Science Daily, dieters who drank two cups of water before meals lost five more pounds over 12 weeks than dieters who didn't increase their water intake.
Consume Caffeine
MayoClinic.com indicates that caffeine is an appetite suppressant. Consuming caffeine might reduce your desire to eat for a short time, the website reports. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, energy drinks and colas. Be sure to choose sugar-free caffeinated beverages if weight loss is your aim. Coffee has more caffeine than tea, Bannon says, so have a cup of coffee for maximum hunger reduction.
Chew Peppermint Gum
In a study conducted by Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, the scent of peppermint caused study participants to rate their hunger level as low compared with subjects not exposed to peppermint. By chewing peppermint gum, you'll get a whiff of the peppermint scent. Chewing the gum will also keep your mouth occupied, which might prevent nibbling high-calorie foods. Bannon also suggests brushing your teeth with peppermint-flavored toothpaste. A clean mouth makes it less likely you'll quell hunger by stuffing food into it.
Exercise
Go for a run, take a swim or jump on your bicycle for an intense workout. According to WeightWatchers.com, vigorous exercise has been found to reduce hunger temporarily. However, some studies suggest exercise might stimulate hunger, so beware that getting physical might have the opposite effect. It's not fully understood why exercise might stop hunger, but WeightWatchers.com reports that one study found exercise might help you feel more satisfied after a meal, holding off hunger.
Tips
Eat small, low-calorie meals every few hours to help hold off hunger and promote weight loss, according to Bannon, who wrote the book "Eat Right When Time is Tight." Include some protein and fiber with every meal. Proteins promotes satiety, or a feeling of fullness, preventing hunger, Bannon says. Fiber will do the same thing because it remains in your stomach longer than other foods before being absorbed by your digestive system. Have some lean red meat or poultry, along with a piece of whole fruit, to provide healthy nutrients and hold off hunger.